Current methods for applying a resilient colored material to a stainless steel surface, such as on a surgical instrument, require labor intensive special techniques. These methods include dipping the instrument into paint, drilling and inserting colored plugs into the surface, and applying paint by hand to the surface. A colored thermoset resin or epoxy glue dot will not adhere adequately to a stainless steel surface and cannot be used by itself to color code a stainless steel surface. Thermoset resins are used with colored ribbons which are difficult to apply. These ways of color-coding are not being adopted due to cost, not being practical, or compromising the use of the surgical instrument. A current standard of practice for color coding surgical instruments is the use of colored tape or ribbons on instruments, sometimes up to four different colors. However, the simple methods that can be used by medical personnel cause the colored materials to crack and peel which is unacceptable. Fragments of tape or ribbon on a surgical instrument can fall into a patient's cavity and edges of tape or ribbon that have lifted from the surface can harbor bacteria.
Hundreds of surgical instruments may be used in a surgical procedure with multiple surgical trays and need to go through a decontamination procedure after use. The process of sorting the instruments once they have been cleaned is a monumental task and made more difficult because the instruments are being used for multiple surgeries performed on the same day. Highly trained and experienced personnel are required to properly identify and sort the surgical instruments which is expensive, inefficient and difficult to maintain. The sterile processing departments in hospitals and clinics experience high turnover in their personnel. Time is of the essence in surgical procedures. Time spent looking for an instrument or calling down to a sterile processing department for an instrument that was supposed to be in a surgical instrument set, causes delays. The more time that a patient is under anesthesia, increases the frustration of the surgeon and staff, and increases the chance of errors in the surgical procedures.
Color coding on surgical instruments needs to be permanent, not harbor bacteria, and not compromise the function for which the instrument was intended. What is needed is an apparatus and method that will allow medical personnel to permanently, safely, and effectively color code surgical instruments with a colored thermoset resin dot, wherein the method and apparatus do not require any special skills or training.